Ten-year-old Shelby Pagan is gearing up to compete in the World’s Championship Horse Show in Louisville with her pony Teddy Roosevelt. The National Theodore Roosevelt Association (TRA) has a direct connection to Owensboro, and they jumped at the opportunity to support the young equestrian — especially when they learned the name of Pagan’s pony.
Mike and Dee Dee Moran are formerly of Owensboro but now live in Lexington. Mike serves as secretary for the national TRA. On Thursday, Moran gifted Pagan with $500 toward her $3,000 goal, along with a biography on Roosevelt and a Roosevelt collector’s coin.
“It’s a really great story. We thought we could do something that is really positive, and we wanted to do this,” Moran said.
This is Shelby’s second season of competition with Teddy, but the equestrian experience is familiar to the 5th-grader and her family. Shelby’s mother, Katie, grew up with horses, and has been riding and competing for more than 30 years.
“I was actually six months pregnant and showing with (Shelby), so we joke that she’s been riding her entire life. But she sat on a horse at 6 months, and that was the end of it, and then she started showing at 18 months,” Katie said.
This year, Shelby and Teddy have won five of their seven classes, competing against drivers of all ages. Her biggest accomplishment this year was winning the Midwest Charity Horse Show’s Junior Exhibitor Hackney Pony Pleasure Driving Qualifier and Championship in front of a three-judge panel.
Katie said Shelby is the youngest competitor in the upcoming contest, which takes place August 21.
The Louisville event will feature Shelby and her 15-year-old Hackney pleasure pony in a driving competition, which involves Teddy pulling a two-wheeled buggy with Shelby behind the lines. They will be judged on suitability, manners, performance, quality, and confirmation. They will compete in both directions of the ring at a walk, trot, and road trot (a faster trot), with other ponies and drivers competing in the arena at the same time.
Shelby has hosted lemonade and tea stands throughout the summer to raise money to participate in the championship.
“I am thankful for the support of my parents and grandparents and everyone who has come out to support me at my lemonade stands,” Shelby said. “I cannot wait to show Teddy at the World’s Championships.”
Shelby and Katie said they are still accepting donations for the trip, and they can be sent to Katie’s Venmo: @KatieEQ.
